Classic Sole Meunière
We are breaking down this classic restaurant-quality dish; a little indulgence you can finally enjoy at home!
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 4-ounce skinless, boneless sole or other thin fish fillets, patted dry
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Freshly ground white pepper, to taste
- 4 TBSP clarified butter (see Step 2 to make your own)
- 4 TBSP unsalted butter, diced, at room temperature
- 3 TBSP minced fresh parsley (can substitute dried parsley as well)
- 1/2 tsp lemon zest
- 3 TBSP fresh lemon juice
- 1 fresh lemon, cut into wedges, for serving
Directions
- Step 1 Heat oven to 200 degrees and place a baking sheet inside, lined with parchment paper.
- Step 2 In a small saucepan or butter warmer, melt your butter over low heat until bubbling and foaming subsides. Remove from heat, let cool slightly (but do not let butter solidify), then skim any foam off the top. Carefully pour or spoon yellow butter fat through a sieve and into a bowl.
- Step 3 Place flour on a large, shallow plate. Season both sides of fish fillets with salt and white pepper to taste. Dredge fish in flour, shaking off excess.
- Step 4 In a 12-inch nonstick or enamel-lined skillet over medium-high heat, heat 2 TBSP of the clarified butter until bubbling- make sure the pan is coated with the melted butter.
- Step 5 Place half of the fish fillets in the pan and cook until just done, 2 to 3 minutes per side, then transfer to the plate or baking sheet in the oven to keep warm. Add 2 more tablespoons clarified butter to skillet and heat until bubbling, then cook remaining fillets. Keep warm on the baking sheet.
- Step 6 In reserved skillet, heat remaining 4 tablespoons unsalted butter until bubbling and golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Add 1/2 tsp of lemon zest and 3 TBSP of lemon juice to the pan. Remove from the heat and swirl to incorporate
- Step 7 To serve, plate your fish, then pour your lemon butter sauce evenly over fillets. Serve immediately, sprinkled with parsley and lemon wedges on the side.
It’s no secret that I love to experiment in the kitchen, we’re always putting our twist on something. But every now and then you just have to go back to an old classic. The French know this better than anyone, which is why this recipe has stood the test of time. Don’t let the fancy name fool you – all you need for the sauce are some simple, staple ingredients (butter, parsley, lemon) – the fresher, the better! – and a little finesse to tackle this delicate dish.
The other not-so-secret secret? The fish is the STAR of this dish, so you want to purchase the freshest sole you can find; you will really need to lean on your fishmonger for this. That’s how we landed on this dish in the first place. Marc was at the fish counter at our local grocer and the fishmonger told him the sole had literally just arrived off the plane – about as fresh as you can get! A fish like Dover sole (which can only be flown in from Europe) is a rich and buttery fish, which makes it highly sought after and worth every penny.
The other trick to our preparation here is learning to make your own clarified butter, which sounds intimidating but is really fairly straightforward. It only takes a few more minutes and a little extra effort – making this dish both an elegant date night meal AND a solid weeknight option, when you want to elevate your meal plan just a bit. All to say, once you try our take on this classic recipe, this dish will most definitely become a part of your rotation! A little indulgence every now and then goes a long way! Comment below and let us know what you think!
I'm Amanda - a Mom, chef & blogger with a wholehearted approach to cooking and life. Things are always a little crazy around here with two toddlers underfoot, but nothing brings me greater joy than welcoming you into into my kitchen (and our home)! Learn more about me 